Can washing machine



March 14, 1933. J. HAUK CAN WASHINQ MACHINE Filed Dec. 13.1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY-S March 14, 1933. J HAUK 1,901,595

CAN WASHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 13. 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TOR.

A TTORNEYS Mark]: 14, 1933. J. HAUK 1,901,595

CAN WASHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15. 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet s INVENTOR.

BY 2 j Qaml m 7"4mo4, ATTORNEYS March 14, 1933. J. HAUK CAN WASHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 15. 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY March 14, 1933. .1 HAUK CAN WASHING MACHINE Filed Dec. 13, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 W IU!IIIIIL..NVIIIIIIII W W M Bum/M1 5 Patented Mar. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES OFFICE JOSEPH HAUK, F snonnwoo'n, W sconsin, AssIenoR TO PHI-Li]? c; mien, or

,MILWAUK'EE, WIsooNsIN can WASHING steam:

Application filed necmter' 13, 1930 Serial No. 502,173.

The invention relates to can washing machines such as milk and ice cream can washing machines.-

Heretofore it has been the usual practiceto wash milk cans and their covers by subjecting the same to a series of sprays of washing fluid during the intermittent passage of the cans either on a horizontally disposed rotary carrier or on an intermittently moving straight 1e lineconveyor and the sprays alone are relied upon to cleanse the cans and covers. Owing to'the' fact that sometimes the material sticks to the can and that there are many crevices or parts of the cans and covers which cannot be directly subjected to the scouring action,

of the sprays the cans are frequently not entirely cleaned. Heretofore it hasbeen proposed to immerse the cans in a soaking bathby hand and thereafter subject the cans to the action of a series ofsprays but because of the length of time this operation takes and the cost of labor incident to it, this procedure has been superseded by the first described method. Theobject of the present invention is to overcome the difiiculties incident to the prior procedure of hand soaking by providing a machine in which the cans are automatically immersed and carried through a soaking tank and thereafter further cleaned; 3e rinsed and sterilized by the'action of sprays;

While it is common practice to'immerse bott-les in a soaking tank while movingon an endless conveyor as apart of the washing process, the problem of handling milk cans capable of holding from three to eleven and one-half gallons of fluid or ice cream cans holding from siX to twenty quarts of fluid so as to immerse such cans in a washing-tank'is, because of the buoyancy of the cans, not a -6 mere matter of forcing the cans intothe solution as this would require so much power as to make the apparatus impractical and consequently the present invention has been devised to provide a can washing machine in which the cans are filled with the soaking solution from an outside source as they enter the tank so that their buoyancy is overcome as they enter the soaking tank and thus per mit the soaking operation to take place withoutthe use of'excessive power for drivingithe can carrier. Furthermore, according to the present invention as the cans leave the soaking tank they discharge the solution in which they have been soaked into a trough'which has an outlet directed into the mouth of a can about to enter the solution so that this can is weighted down as it enters the soaking tank and thus easily immersed.

I A further object of the invention is to provide a. milk can washing machine in which the cans and covers are carried through a complete cycle upon an endless conveyor which is intermittently driven by a simple form of drive mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to pro- '65 vide asimple formof valve control for spraying devices controlled by the conveyor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a can washing machine of compact arrangement in which the cans and ooverswhen 7G I used are carried'through the soaking tank'on the lower run of-tlie conveyor and are subjected to the action of sprays while onthe upper run of the conveyor.

- The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter set forth and more particularly defined by the claims at the conclusionhereof'.

Inthe drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of one side of the machine embodying the invention. I I r Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View of the machine'taken generally on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3, parts of the conveyor being shown in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a vertical'se'ctional view taken on broken line"33 of Fig. 2 y

Fig. i is an end view with parts-broken away and parts shown in section'taken generally on the line 4et of Fig. 2.

Figl 5'is a side elevation view of the other side of the machine. with parts broken-away.

Fig. 6 is a' detail sectional-view taken on the line 6-6, ofFig. 2;

Fig.7 isa detail sectiona'l'viewtaken on 95 theline' 77 ofFig. 1'; r

Fig. 8 isadetail sectional view taken on the linex8-8 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a detailsectionalview taken on the line 9'9'of Fig. 1. I

a 13, said tank having the drain openings 14 Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 designates an enclosing casing open at one end 11 for the placement or removal of the cans and covers on the conveyor working in the casing. The lower portion of this casing forms a soaking tank 12 and the upper level of the cleansing fluid is indicated by the line and 15, the opening '14 determining the upper level of the washing solution.

The sides of this casing carry curved channel members 16 or parts formed into channel members and disposed adjacent the opposite ends of the casing, and joined together with astraight channel member. 17 secured above the'bottom of the casing and with a straight track member 18 adjacent the-top of the casing to form a pair of oppositely disposed continuous tracks 19 in which the roll ers 20 of an endless conveyor work, said rollers running in said channels, see Figs. 2 and 3. Adjacent rollers 20 are connected to= gether by links21 on opposite sides of said rollers with adjacent ends of the links operativ-ely connected together by the pivot pins 22 of the rollers. Alternate links facing the inner side of the rollers have hanger brackets 24 secured thereto andto can and cover carrying receptacles25,said receptacles with their brackets forming crossframe connections for the spaced sections'of the conveyor formed by the rollers 20 and links2l so that the whole assembly forms an endless conveyor provided with spaced can and cover carrying receptacles.

Each of the receptacles 25 when used for milk cans, includes a can carrying portion 26 substantially fully open at one end'27 in which the base of the can 28 is free to move and contracted atits sides 29 at its other end and provided with flanges or ledges 30 to engage the mouth of the can but having a centrally disposed opening 31. Each receptacle also has a cover carrying portion 32 formed by a partition 33 and slot 34 in one side of said receptacle extending inwardly from the end27 and of a width to'receive the cylindrical portion 35 of the cover while the top 36 of said cover fits between the partition 33 and the adjacent side of the receptacle as seen in Fig. 3.

Inasmuch as the receptacles 25 are open at their bottom or outer ends so that the cans and the covers may be readily introduced into their respective compartments or removed therefrom, means are provided. at the lower run and the ends of the conveyor for retaining the cans and the covers in said receptacles. For thispurpose a curved support or plate 37 extends from the entrance opening of the casing down to the bottom of the tank, a series of transversely disposed can supporting rollers 38 are arranged in spaced relation at the bottom and along a line generally parallel to the conveyor track for a portion of the ascending run of the conveyor at the other end of the tank, a cover supporting strip 39 is disposed adjacent the roller run as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and another curved support or plate 40 is mounted at this end of tank as shown in Fig. 2. Thus it will be noted that when the'conveyor is moved, the receptacles 25 will carry the cans and covers first through the soakingtank and then out of the same and along the upper run of the conveyor.

A. partition 41. extends across and is secured to the sides of the casing and cooperates with a front plate section i2 to form a temporary storage tank or channel 4-3, said partition being inclined downwardly from the rear toward the front of the casing and communicating at its forward end with a discharge outlet or spout 44 which is alined with the opening 31 in the receptacle then in that position and hence with mouthof the can with. the resultthat as the soaking solution from the can in the position A and which has passed through they tank discharges its washing fluid into the tank or channel, 43 said fluid will flow out of said tank through the spout 44land into the can in the receptacle in the position B and thus weight down this can as it is'moved into the soaking solution by the conveyor, thus overcoming the resistance occasioned by the buoyancy of the can to its immersion into the solution in the soaking tank. During the time the can and its cover pass through the soaking tank, the solution therein, generally containing a caustic,'has a chance to disintegrate or soak off such foreign matter as may have adhered to the inside or outside of the can to be treated or in the case of an ice cream'can any adhering sticky particles.

When the can and'its cover reach the position A, the cover is subjected "to pressure sprays of washing fluid delivered by aipump hereinafter described, through a' nozzle 45 which is arranged at the side of the tank facing the interior of the cover as'shown in Fig. 8.

When thecan reaches the position C it is subjected to the action of a series of pressure sprays of washing fluid from the nozzles 4-6, directed upwardly into the interior. of the then inverted can and when the can and cover reach the position D, the interior of thecan is subjected to the action of a press'urespray of hot water from the nozzle 47 and. to the action of live steam from a nozzle 28 while the cover is subjected to the action of a spray oi hot water and steam delivered through nozzle 52 which acts to blow ofl water that might tend to collect on the recessed bottom of the can and thus prevent the operator from being splashed with such water when the cans are in a discharging position.

The present embodiment of the invention is a small machine so that the interior hot water rinse the sterile rinse and the top hot water rinse occur when the can is in the position D but it will be understood that in the case of a larger or longer machine having a conveyor with a greater number of receptacles active in its horizontal runs that the sterilizing rinse from the steam jets for cans and covers as well as the steam blow off for y the tops of the cans may occur when the can and cover have been advanced from the position D to a position nearer the discharge.

It will also be noted that flexible rubber curtains 53 are provided adjacent the receptacles when in the position D to confine the sprays and that a similar curtain 54 is provided adjacent the mouth of the receptaclein this position to prevent the passage of spray into the space 55, see Fig. 2.

It will'also be noted from Fig. 2 that a storage space or tank 56 is provided in the casing beneath the can in the position D so that the rinse water may be collected therein and carried out of the casing and be reused as hereinafter described.

A manifold 57 for heated drying air is provided with discharge outlets 58to direct this heated air into the mouths or interior of the cans when in the positions E and F and likewise a drying air nozzle 59 provided'with openings 59 and a similar nozzle 60'direct heated drying air against the interior of the covers when in said positions and some of the air passing through the opening 31 of the receptacles also acts upon the outside of the cans and covers so that by the time the can and its cover reach the discharging position G- they are thoroughly washed and dried and ready to be removed by the operator who thereafter fills the then empty receptacle with another can and cover to be washed. It will also be understood that'before the cans are placed in the machine they may be subjected to the usual prerinse operation so as to lessen the frequency of change of the washing solution inthe tank 12.

The means for driving the conveyor and for furnishing the washing fluids to the various nozzles will now be described.

Referring to 1, the numeral 61 designates a s'uitable electricmotor whose shaft is connected by a pulley 62 and belt 63 to a pulley 64 on a shaft 65 having a worm 66 meshing with a worm wheel 67 fixed to a shaft 68 journalled in bearings 69 in the sides of the casing and cut off from the interior thereof by a sleeve 70. The shaft 68 has similar grooved cams 71 mounted thereon on opposite sides thereof andexterior to the casingand a roller72 carried in each'instance by a lever 7 3. works in each of theseicams; Eachlever 73 is fixed on an oscillatory shaft 74 that extends through the casing and is iso-. lated from the interior thereof by'a sleevev'? 5 and each lever has a feed 'diog 76 pivotally' mounted on a shaft 77 carried by: the upper end of said lever and working through a'slot 78 in the casing, see Figs. 1, 3:and 5. Each dog 7 6 has; a curved roller engaging end"por-' tion 76, adapted to engage one of the rollers 20 and a spring pressed plunger 77 pressed outwardly by a spring 7 8 and associated with said end,-said lever bearing an inclined rear face 7 9 cooperating with the plunger 77 to 1 permit said lever to ride over'the next roller on its return stroke. The cams 71 are designed to cause a forward feeding movement equal tothe distancebetween centers of the receptacles to advance said receptacles from one position to another and with a dwell suffis cient to allow the sprays to act efiiciently on the cans and covers and then to cause a return of the levers to their position for forward feed. Inasmuch as the drive is not directly connected. to the conveyor except through the dogs, means, shown in Fig. 5, are provided to prevent overrunning of the conveyor comprising a locking member 80 having a notch- 81 engageable with a roller of the conveyor and secured to a. lever 82 mounted on an oscillatory shaft 83 carrying a finger or lever '84 adapted to be engaged by a pin85 on one'of the cams 71 so as to release said memberBO from the conveyor during the forward'feed'of the conveyor by the levers 7 3 and dogs 7 6 and then look said conveyor against movement during the return movement of said levers and dogs. It will be noted that a slot80 is provided infthe" outer flange of the track 16' adjacent the members 80 and 82-to prevent interference. vThus it will be understood that the conveyor with the receptacles con taining'the cans and covers is given an intermittent step by step movement progressively around the tracks 19 in the casing and that this provides a relativelylong-period for the soaking treatment and dwell periods for the action of the previously described sprays."

The shaft 61' of the motor at one side'is connected through a suitable coupling 86 to the shaft of a centrifugal pump 87 and at its other sidefthrough a coupling 88 to the shaft of a smaller centrifugal pump 89. The motor shaft is also connectedby a pulley 90 and belt 91 to a pulley 92 on a shaft 93 connected by pulleys 94 and 95 and-belt 96 to'a shaft 97 for the impeller of a rotary type blower 98. I

The inlet of the pump 87 connects by way of pipe 99 and strainer 100 communicating with the interior of tank 12, with the washing fluid in the soaking tank wherebysome of this fluid is withdrawn by said pump and delivered underpressure to a discharge pipe Z ta and the pump preferably keeps up a continuous spraying of this washing fluid through said nozzles, the spent fluid draining back to the tank by way of the temporary storage tank :43.

In'Fig. 1 there are a series of hand controlled valves; the valve 104 controlling the inlet of steam to a pipe 105, the valve 106 controlling the flow of steam to a pipe 107, the valve 108 controllingthe flow of steam to a pipe 109, the valves 110, 111 and 112 being water valves controlling the flow of water respectively to the pipes 114, 113 and 115. V The pipes 105 and 114 communicate with a mixing device 116 whereby the cold water is mixed with and heated by the steam to a temperature of for example one hundred and eighty degrees Fahrenheit and then passes into a hot water chamber 117 from whence it is conducted by apipe 118 having a control valve 119 therein to branch pipes 120 and 121 leading to the fresh hot water rinse nozzles 49 and 47 for the covers and cans respectively.

Steam conducted through the pipe 107 is delivered to branch pipes 122 and radiator coils 123 and thence passes from the branch pipes 124 toa pipe 125 whichleads into the washing solution inthe tank 12 at about the point 126 and thus this waste steam serves to heat the washing liquid to the desired temperature. As the air delivered by the blower 98 passes upwardly through the heater 127 and between the coils 123 it is heated and is delivered through the outlet 128 to the manitold 57 and through thepipes 129V and 130 to the air drying nozzles59 and Steam conducted through the pipe 109 is controlled in its. passage therethrough c by a valve 131 and proceeds by way of branch pipes 132 and 133 to steam jet nozzles 49 and 48 for the covers and cans respectively; A branch. pipe 134 also leads 01? of the branch 132 to supply steam to the blow oft nozzle 52. The water pipe 113 isused to, supply the rinse water tank 56 with its initial supply of water while the pipe 115 is likewise used to initially fill the soaking tank with its supply of water. -As previously noted the level of the washing fluid in the tank 12is determined by the drain 14 and the level of therinse water in the tank 56 is similarly determined by the overflow pipe connection 135.

Means are provided for controllingthe opening and closing of the valves 11,9 and 131 for controlling the hot fresh waterrinse and the steam jets respectively. These valves 119 and 131 are what are commonly known as Whistle valves in which thecvalves are of the spring closed poppet type'and opened by a downward pressure on their stems. In

dwell position'D. Thus a certain amount of steam and hot water is conserved when the conveyor is in. motion. It will of course be understood that where the machine is longer and the steam jet acts on the can after it has been'advanced from the position D that the control for this valve would be varied to suit this condition. With the above construction it will be noted that the rims of the covers as they pass over the plates 37, 39 and 40 will turn and thus revolve the covers as they passthrough the soaking tank since said covers are loosely mounted in the holders provided for them in the receptacles 25.

For removing the vapors that may tend to collect in the machine, a vapor outlet 142 is provided which in known manner is connected with a. suitable exhausting device (not shown).

l/Vith a machine of the character or type above described not only can the containers such as milk cans and ice cream cans be more efficiently cleaned than withthe usual straight line washer but the machine may be made more compact and occupy less floor space than such straight line washers and as it consists of fewer parts in the aggregate it may be more economically made than a straight line washer of equal capacity.

I desire it to be understood that this in vcntion is not to be limited to any particular form or arrangement of parts except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims. 4

What I claim as my invention is: y

1 In a can washing machine, the combination of'a tank adapted to contain washing fluid, a power driven conveyor for intermittently and progressively immersing and conveying cans through said tank, and means for weighting the cans with washing fluid to assisttheir immersion in the fluid in said tank.

2. In a can washing machine of the char acter described, the combination of atank, means forintermittently and progressively immersing and conveying cans through a washing liquid in said tank and to a position above the same, and means for discharging washing liquid from a previously immersed can into a can about to'be immersed to overcome the resistance occasioned by the buoyancy of the can to its immersion.

3. In a canwashing machine of the charac- I ter' described, the combination of a casing having a bottom portion forming a tank for washing fluid, means for intermlttently and progressively immersing and conveym the cans through said tank and raising them m the tank in an inclined discharging posltion,

said casing provided with a temporary storage space for washing fluid discharged from the can after its immersion, and means for directing the washing fluid from said space into the mouth of the can to be immersed to aid its immersion.

4:. In a can washing machine, the combination of a casing having a tank formed in the bottom portion thereof adapted to contain washing fluid, spaced tracks at the sides of said casing and forming a continuous trackway adjacent the top and bottom of said casing and around the ends thereof, an endless conveyor running on said trackway and in- 2 eluding receptacles, each having a can receiving portion open at both ends and having means adapted to support the cans in inverted position along the upper run of said conveyor and a cover receiving portion open at one end, means cooperating with said receptacles to maintain the cans and covers therein while passing through said tank, and means for intermittently moving said conveyor, said casing having a feed and delivery 0 opening for loading and unloading of the receptacles at one point in the path of movement of said conveyor.

5. In a can washing machine, the combination of a casing having a tank formed in the lower portion thereof and adapted to contain a washing fluid, a vertically disposed endless conveyor disposed in said casing and including receptacles disposed in vertical position on the upper and lower runs of said conveyor and movable into said washing fluid on its lower run and above the same on its upper run, each receptacle including a can receiving portion open at its ends and provided at its inner end with stops to engage the mouth of the can when in inverted position and includ-' ing a cover holding portion having a cover mouth receiving slot, and means for intermittently moving said conveyor.

6. In a can washing machine, the combination of a casing having a tank formed in the lower portion thereof and adapted to contain a washing fluid, a conveyor disposed in said casing and including receptacles for removably holding cans and covers, each receptacle having a can receiving portion and cover receiving portion open at one end, means including spaced rollers in said tank for maintaining said cans in said receptacles as they pass through the tank, and means including a track on which the rims of said covers ride and on which they are free to rotate as they pass through said tank.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

JOSEPH HAUK. 

